Hokkaido’s rail transportation system is grappling with two tough challenges, with the completion of the Hokkaido Shinkansen’s final 212-kilometer stretch between Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and Sapporo stations officially delayed until at least the end of fiscal 2038, and local lines closing or facing closure due to a lack of passengers.
Construction hurdles for the Hokkaido Shinkansen, especially when it comes to tunnel digging, have proven particularly challenging.
For these reasons, the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT), which manages the project, said in May 2024 that completing the route to Sapporo by the original 2030 date would be extremely difficult. At the time, JRTT said construction was already three to four years behind schedule.
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